


Be Okay

by autisticblueteam



Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: Autistic Character, Autistic Character(s), Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Season/Series 15 Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-25
Updated: 2017-07-25
Packaged: 2018-12-07 01:06:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11612745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/autisticblueteam/pseuds/autisticblueteam
Summary: They’re okay. They’re going to be okay.(Spoilers up to and for 15x17)





	Be Okay

**Author's Note:**

> Contains some spoilers for episode 17, no real warnings this time. This is basically the opposite of last week’s fic. (this is completely unedited I apologise)

“Agent Carolina, with all due respect−”

“Unless that sentence ends with ‘carry on’, I don’t want to hear it.”

Carolina hitched her arm securely around Wash’s waist, made sure that his was draped comfortably over her shoulders. She still didn’t feel at the top of her game−her muscles all ached and she felt somehow heavy on her own feet−but she’d be okay in a few minutes; she just had to get the blood pumping, that’s all. At least she had her faculties with her, the same couldn’t be said for Wash.

At least the last hallucination had ended. His head was lulled against her shoulder, bumping the side of hers.

“Come on Wash, on the count of three. One, two, _three_ −” She pushed up, her legs shaking under her weight, forcing Wash to follow her. They barely made it; Wash stumbled, nearly dragging her back down with him, but she stood used all of her strength to keep them upright. “There we go. I have you.”

“Agent Carolina−”

“Locus, with _all due_ _respect_ ,” the mimicry was deliberate, pointed, “I know what I’m doing.”

They still didn’t back off completely, but they took a step away so Carolina would accept it. Making sure her hold on Wash was steady she slowly coaxed him into taking one step, and then another, and then another. The elevator wasn’t that far. Her legs were burning the way they should burn after hours of exercise, not mere minutes of normal movement− but the elevator wasn’t that far.

“Carolina… are you−?” Wash’s head was still lulled against hers, his arm still wrapped around her shoulders. She still had him.

“I’m fine. Just hold onto me, Wash.”

By the time they made the elevator her whole body ached and it felt like a ten tonne weight was pulling her towards the ground. She carefully let Wash go so he could stand in the corner, support himself on the walls and railings. It hurt to even move so she could lean back against the wall behind her, which did little to give her muscles any relief. Teeth tugged at her lip, opening that split once again and filling her mouth with the taste of iron. Her eyes flicked to look at the clock that she’d been checking obsessively for the past seventy hours, before Locus’ sudden arrival, but it was gone.

It was over.

They were out.

“Wash?” she said, rolling her head so she could see him properly. So he wasn’t a grey blob in her periphery.

He was still a little delirious, his metal state seemingly only exacerbated by the sudden rush of adrenaline that came once they could move, but he turned towards her too. “Uh-huh?”

“Told you we’d make it out.”

“Heh. Guess you did,” he said, head dropping back against the elevator wall. “We’re− we’re okay. We’re okay.” Then, with a gasp of great revelation. “I can scratch my nose.”

A shocked burst of laughter escaped Carolina and she smiled, despite it all. “Did you _forget_ that your nose was itching?”

“No. Yes. Maybe.” He popped the seals and pushed his helmet up so he could get to his nose, scratching it with the rough texture of his gloves. “Oh that’s much better. That’s the spot. Oooh.”

Carolina’s shoulders shook with quiet laughter, uninterrupted by the elevator starting to move. Wash looked practically euphoric just from getting to scratch that annoying itch, scratching at it for much longer than was probably necessary. Even when he stopped he left his helmet where it was, balanced on the bridge of his nose and exposing the lower half of his face. He looked ridiculous, but he was grinning. Carolina couldn’t deny how much of a relief it was to see his _face_ , even part of it; the freckles, the scars, the scruff.

He was okay. They were okay.

“I discovered a recreational space whilst performing my search of the building. We will go there, you will lay down and _rest_ , and I will go and free the Reds and Blues from their confinement,” Locus said. “Agent Carolina−”

“I’m walking Wash to the room.”

They sighed. “I’m not convincing you otherwise, am I?”

“No.”

“Fine.”

The elevator stopped. Locus insisted that they stayed put and cloaked themself, making sure the coast was clear before coming back and reluctantly allowing Carolina to help Wash to his feet again. Her arm around his waist, his around her shoulders, her legs burning as she forced herself to move.

The recreational space was much further away than the elevator had been. Every few metres she felt the urge to pause, take a moment’s break and gather herself, but she knew if she stopped she wouldn’t be able to get moving again. So she pushed through. Pushed through until they reached the room and the sofas there, dragging Wash over to one and working to sit him down.

“There we go…”

Wash slumped back into the cushions, pulled off his helmet and let it fall to the floor. Carolina dropped to her knees in front of him as her legs finally gave in, exhaling heavily. She popped the seals on her own helmet, discarded it just as carelessly and stretched up, wrapped a hand around the back of Wash’s head−careful to avoid his implant−and brought him forward until their heads touched.

He leaned into it, raised his hand to rest on her arm. Breathed out slowly.

“We’re okay,” Carolina said, quietly. “We’re going to be okay, and Temple is going to pay for everything he’s done.”

“Oooo girl.”

Another burst of laughter, shoulders shaking as she pulled back and set him with a look. “You really are out of it.”

“Maybe a _little_ ,” he admitted. He scrunched up his face as she ruffled his hair, whining and shrinking away. Carolina’s smile spread. “ _Lina._ That’s− _that’s_ the first thing you do now we can move? Really? Really really?”

“It wasn’t the first. But it is important,” she said, ruffling it again for good measure. Wash’s face scrunched more, but he didn’t resist. “Still with me, Wash?”

“Still with you, Lina. Still with you.” He watched her face with the same relief that Carolina had felt at the sight of his. They were okay. They were going to be _okay_.

Less than an hour ago she’d started to run out of hope, but they’d made it. Not how they had expected, but they’d made it. Now she just had to get her strength back, just had to be ready to _fight_. She’d be ready to fight.

Locus was stood in the doorway. “Keep _quiet_ , I’ll go and retrieve the Reds and Blues from their cells. Do not draw attention to yourselves. It won’t take long.”

“I should help,” Carolina said, trying to force herself to her feet only to stumble and barely catch herself before she fell on Wash. Wash let out a quiet ‘whoa!’ and helped her ease back down to her knees. Carolina could feel Locus’ stare through their helmet. “…Or stay here and regain my strength.”

Locus made an indistinct grunting sound and vanished. The door closed moments later.

Carolina sighed, casually rested a hand on the side of Wash’s face. Brushed her thumb idly against his scruff. “Come on, Wash. You should lay down.”

“Should I?”

“Yes, you should. Come on.”

Gently she coaxed him to lay down on his side, head on the armrest. He let all of his weight sink into the cushions, exhaling softly and closing his eyes. Carolina watched him until he settled, never really let her hand fall away from his face. He reached out to her blindly, rested his hand on the top of her head. A smile tugged at her lips.

“Oh− come here.”

She wrapped her arm around his torso, pulled him close so his head tucked into the curve of her neck and shoulder. It wasn’t a perfect hug, it was clumsy and lopsided and it took Wash thirty seconds to even realise what was happening and wrap an arm around her in turn, but it was all they needed.

“Mm, Lina?”

“Yes, Wash?”

“I think I’m gonna have to just− sit back and watch you kick Temple’s ass. Or lay back, even. Everything is− kinda spinny.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll give him an extra beating, just for you.”

They were okay.

They were going to be okay.

She’d make sure of it.


End file.
